Bridgit/Michelle check in our newbies!

Hey! One thought is use real food and have a mini chopper (I got mine at walmart $10 I think black n decker years ago a mini food processor!) or magic bullet (target has it or online or try walbreens usualat home. Making tuna 'pate' or any chicken or seafood or shrimp or crabstick or egg salad puree in it was fine for me and tastier than those *****sorted to babyfood
i agree ricotta is reat have you tried mixing different things in it like:

Almond Ricotta Créme
Ingredients:
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 package sugar substitute
1 tsp slivered toasted almonds ***SKIP this a newbie postop***
Description:
Mix together the ricotta, almond extract, and sugar substitute in a dessert bowl. Serve chilled and sprinkled with toasted almonds.
Serves: 2
Nutrition:
Per Serving: 81 calories, 7.5 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 5.5 g fat, 3 g saturated fats, 78 mg sodium, 19 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber


You can substitue many other flavor extracts to obtain different flavor.



Lemon Peel Ricotta Crème
½ c part-skim ricotta cheese
¼ tsp grated lemon peel
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 pkg sugar substitute

Mix together the ricotta, lemon peel, vanilla extract, and sugar substitute. Serve chilled.
Makes 1 Serving
Per Serving: 178 cal, 14 g pro, 7 g carb, 10 g fat, 6 g sat. fat, 38 mg chol, 0 g fiber, 155 mg sodium

Mocha Ricotta Crème

Relax and give yourself a treat tonight! This Phase 1 dessert is perfect for chocoholics - or anyone looking for a tasty way to top off a meal.

Serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package sugar substitute
Dash espresso powder (or instant decaf coffee)
5 mini chocolate chips ***SKIP as new postop!

Instructions
Mix together the ricotta, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sugar substitute in a dessert bowl. Serve chilled with a dusting of espresso powder and sprinkled with the mini chocolate chips.

Nutritional Information:
261 calories
14 total fat (9 g sat)
42 mg cholesterol
17 g carbohydrate
15 g protein
0 g fiber
177 mg sodium
South Beach Diet Daily Dish [email protected]


Peanut Butter-Chocolate Ricotta Crème Two servings.
1 cup low fat or part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 or 3 packets Splenda
1/2 to 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1/2 to 1 tablespoon baking cocoa (or 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar-free chocolate
syrup)
Mix as desired, put in 2 serving dishes, chill, and serve. If using chocolate syrup, you can pour on top instead of mixing in, if desired.

Mock Oatmeal
1/2 C Ricotta Cheese
1 pk. splenda
1 egg
1 cap maple flavoring
Mixing. together and microwave 1min 30 sec to 2 min, stirring after 1 minute. The maple smell is wonderful. The texture looks kind of funky, but it tastes good, and is a great protein breakfast that isn't just EGGS!
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Mock Grits
1/2 C Ricotta Cheese
1 egg
Shredded cheese, garlic powder, salt and butter to taste. Make in the same way as the Mock Oatmeal.
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Mock Danish
1 egg
1 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 pks splenda
cinnamon to taste
spray oil
Spray small skillet. Beat egg and 1 pk. splenda. Cook over med. heat. Do not stir--let cook. If the middle doesn't cook through, you may flip. (One pan I have to flip, the other I don't?!) Mix
cream cheese, splenda, and vanilla. When egg is done, spread mix over egg and roll up. Sprinkle any leftover mix and cinnamon on top. It is like a dessert!
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Mock Cinnabon
1/2 C. cottage cheese
1 pkt. splenda
tsp cinnamon
few pecans

Blend with fork. Put in microwave to take off chill. You have to close your eyes and just focus on the cinnamon flavor.



Laughing cow cheese regular or light was also tastey for me, they do have different flavors and one wedge was perfectmeal! Here is link to see what u r looking for in aisle with cheeses egges etc.
http://www.thelaughingcow.com the 8 wedges 35 cal each for light! in a container what a bargain 8 meals!

Sick of jello, have you tried drinking it warm for a treat!?

Tired of the regular or tropical sf popsicles? Make your own flavors!
Sugar-Free "Dripless" Popsicles

1 package (makes 2 quarts) Crystal Light drink mix, flavor of choice
1 (0.3) package Sugar-Free Jello (gelatin dessert), flavor
of choice
2 cups Boiling water
1-1/2 cups cold water

In large mixing bowl, mix together Crystal Light and Jello crystals.
Add boiling water and stir until crystals have dissolved.
Add cold water. Mix well.
Pour into popsicle trays and freeze.



Think potted meats for some work even adding to broth in beginning!
I love my PVL whey gourmet protein www.netrition.com or www.bariatriceating.com or www.a1nutrition.com of course bariatric eating and www.vitalady.com have samples many seem to like champion pure whey stack choc or mocha or banana or strawberry not vanilla (yuck!), and the nectars are thin like koolaid. anywhey is flavorless protein that can be cooked or baked with or added to foods. Be well!

Jamie

I'm new to the site but had my lapband surgery done in June 2007 and have already lost 95 pounds. I just discovered this website through my surgeons website.  Glad that there is support online for rough times and to provide information and support for those who need it.

Jamie, thank god for you!!!  So many ideas!  Your the best, thanks for sharing.  Michelle, no date yet, i have to make an appt with my pcp to go over what i need and have them copy my chart for the past 6-8 months.  CRAZY... then i get approved (or NOT), THEN i get a date.  amie I am going to try to convince my mom to drive to Albany with me tonight for the support group...maybe we will see ya there!!!

Kel that'd be awesome to see you tonight hope it works out! I am so eexcited to be filling in, I started going to this support group 5 1/2 years ago now I am facilitating what a turn around!

You are welcome another idea with ricotta is heat it in micro and put some tomato sauce over it like a stuffed shell w/o the paswta! YUMMY

Jamie,

Thank you, I actually did have the ricotta with a little bit of pureed stewed (no salt) tomatos and it tasted very good. I did put cinamon on it also, I think ricotta cheese is my new new best friend! Also had good luck with cottage cheese. I already have the bullett and did puree some chicken but I think I did it to long it was liquid! lol live and learn. It is all trial and error and lots of help from this site, I also had another receipe with the ricotta mixed with canned punpkin . If the nutirional value is not listed - how can I figure that out? THanks!

PUMPKIN RICOTTA MOUSSE
1/4 cup canned pumpkin (100% pumpkin, NOT the ready made pie filling)
1/4 FF ricotta cheese
1 heaping tablespoon of Splenda Granular
2 tablespoons of vanilla protein powder
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix all ingrediants together, top with a dollop of SF Cool Whip and enjoy! I made mine with Elite Vanilla Protein Powder, bringing the total 1/2 c. serving to 19 grams of protein! Wonderful!

cool idea I love pumpkin just take cal from can and figure it up should be simple!
yeah the bullet is powerful one second it could be mush@